Jeff A

Jeff A

Well Known Member
Has anyone used the Vans wing tip landing light kit? Specifically, PN LL 7/8 MR-16.....the one that is listed in the catalog for the new style wingtips, W-715-1. Does anyone have any experience with the kit? Can you tell me exactly what is included?

We're not too far off from the point where we can start messing with the install, so I'm just trying to get any info available. Thanks.

As always.......does anyone have any pictures?
 
Jeff
I used the kit on the 8 I just finished. Since the Kit came with the new style wing tips I was forced to go with the new Van's wing tip landing lights as opposed to the RMD Enterprise lights I've always used before. I liked the RMD lights better. I hate those little halogen bulbs. They always seem to burn out fast no matter how careful I am handling them.
Also, If you use the standard Van's wiring kit and circuit breakers you may have the same problem I did. 2 - 75watt bulbs= 150watts/14volts =10.7amps going thru the 10 amp switch breaker. Guess what? Breaker pops. The fix....... disconnect one bulb, breaker no longer pops, then sell plane! That's what I did. My intention was/is to replace one bulb with a 50 watt since the plane only moved 3 hangars away.
On my TWO new 8 projects I'm going to try the leading edge lights.

For anyone that's interested, for my 5th and 6th RV project I decided to get the Kitlog pro software and actually keep a log of my time. This way I'll be able to actually see how cheaply I work when I inevetably part with my airplane when somebody asks if it's for sale.
Started work on 2 RV8 tails on March 15th, completed the tails ('cept for the tips) today April 2nd 105 collective hrs. later.
QB's #82688 and #82689 in garage ready to start after I build more racks in the basement to hold a ridiculous amount of finished tails and control surfaces.
 
Therapy would be cheaper...:)

You must REALLY enjoy building these things.

Do you make a reasonable profit on each oe?

Frank 7a
 
jthocker said:
QB's #82688 and #82689 in garage ready to start after I build more racks in the basement to hold a ridiculous amount of finished tails and control surfaces.
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So I must learn the secret.. Are you independantly wealthy and don't have to work a normal job or do you make enough off of these planes to live on? Or option three :) do you have a sugar momma that allows you to do this for fun while she keeps everything afloat?

Please tell us the secret!
 
i installed vans wing tip kit with no problems fit well thanks for the breaker heads up as i have not gotten to the panel :cool:
 
No secrets

Brian
I'm just an RV addict. I've been building since 1983. I was 25, married for a year, wife still in college when I saw the RV4 at Oshkosh 1983. I bought the tail kit there. I've been building ever since,..... building a plane(s),.... building flight time,.... building a career(Airline Pilot),.....building a family,...building a house(s). I probably enjoy building the plane a little more than flying only because I fly for a living, and still find that gratifying.(It's a steam gauge DC-8 with newer fan engines that they'll have to drag me out of.)
As for making a living building these things, no way. Cheapest way to build a NEW RV8, VFR, Aerosport O-360, Hartzell CS, interior by Cleaveland, Pro paint,.....about 75K-80K. Sell for 105K to 115K.
For me, the RV8 I just sold was my 4th completed RV. I don't waste much time having to figure things out, and I've upgraded my tool collection each time I've sold a plane. So I'm reasonably effecient. I built a house around building planes. So I can build the entire airplane in my basement. I have no travel time to the project. With all that , it took 8 months of hard core building to complete and fly the plane(fairings included). I estimate 1000 to 1200 hrs. You might say that's 30 to 40 bucks an hour, I'd tell you (or the IRS) about all the time spent in research on the internet (this site primarily). Anyway, it's a great activity that's allowed me to meet the best group of people around the world. Now if only Grumman would produce a lunar lander kit (even a slow build, OK, OK ,how about just plans to start with) I could move on to something else.
 
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jthocker said:
Also, If you use the standard Van's wiring kit and circuit breakers you may have the same problem I did. 2 - 75watt bulbs= 150watts/14volts =10.7amps going thru the 10 amp switch breaker. Guess what? Breaker pops. The fix....... disconnect one bulb, breaker no longer pops, then sell plane!
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There are a variety of bulb wattages and beam patterns in the MR16 size lamp. 50W, 75W and 100W are common. About $5 each.
 
Craig
That was my first thought. Then I checked the distance and figured the 14 gauge wire that is installed is too small for the 15 amp breaker. If you want to use the Vans setup they probably need to redesign their electrical kits with 12 ga. wire. That is unless I've totally miscalculated this electrical issue. At least 1 person at Van's seemed to think I must have screwed something up. If anyone else cares to follow up on this I'd like to here about it.
 
jthocker said:
Jeff
I used the kit on the 8 I just finished. Since the Kit came with the new style wing tips I was forced to go with the new Van's wing tip landing lights.......
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Jon - Can you tell me what all is included with the kit? Van's website says, "One kit provides everything needed to install two 75 watt lights in each wing tip resulting in a total of a 300 watts of wide angle light dispersion for recognition and landing." Does that mean bracketry, lamps, wires, etc? Are these the projector type bulbs? I guess I could call Van's, but I thought somebody might be able to explain it better or provide some pictures.
 
Jeff
The kit comes with every thing but the wire. You have to make 12 little angled spacers which was the worst part. But all in all it's not a bad kit.
I just don't care for the MR16 halogen type bulbs. I sold the plane before I could fly at night to really give a qualified opinion on how effective they are.
I still have access to the plane though and intend to fly and adjust the lights for the new owner one of these days.
 
Thanks John.

John -
I appreciate your link. That is just what I was looking for. I try to research my questions before I post so I don't bombard everybody with the same old questions.....I guess I missed your thread. Thanks.

My dad and I have plenty of time to decide on this issue.....I just wanted to get some basic info on the Van's kit. Landing lights are just one more thing to add to my list for Oshkosh this year. :)
 
Why not use the correct size wire and a 15 amp fuse or circuit breaker?
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That was my first thought. Then I checked the distance and figured the 14 gauge wire that is installed is too small for the 15 amp breaker. If you want to use the Vans setup they probably need to redesign their electrical kits with 12 ga. wire. That is unless I've totally miscalculated this electrical issue. At least 1 person at Van's seemed to think I must have screwed something up. If anyone else cares to follow up on this I'd like to here about it.
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We have these lights, are using 15A CBs and #12 wire (1 circuit for the "upper" light, 1 for the lower and keep the flexibility of altering 1 bulb per side to something wider / dimmer etc.). So my calcs seem to agree with yours i.e. #14 wire is not quite big enough...
 
14 AWG wire can be protected with a 15 Amp fuse.

For a 150 Watt circuit, you will draw about 11.5 Amps. (150/13)

If you assume a 5% voltage loss as acceptable, you can run 24 feet of 14 AWG wire.

It's about 12 feet from the fuselage to the furthest light, about 10 feet from the fuselage entrance to the switch and back to the fuse block.

12 AWG would get you a slightly brighter light.

Craig
 
How about two for taxi & two for landing?

I have the wingtip landing light kit you guys are talking about and am building a -7 dragger. I ran two wires in each wing and was going to use one light for a taxi and one for a landing light in each tip. I'll have a separate switch and fuse or breaker for each purpose. I'm getting the hint that this setup probably won't put out enough light using just two of the four bulbs for each service. Has anyone else tried this? Is there enough aiming adjustment to use two of them for taxi? Any suggestions appreciated.
 
jthocker said:
Also, If you use the standard Van's wiring kit and circuit breakers you may have the same problem I did. 2 - 75watt bulbs= 150watts/14volts =10.7amps going thru the 10 amp switch breaker. Guess what? Breaker pops. The fix....... disconnect one bulb, breaker no longer pops, then sell plane! That's what I did. My intention was/is to replace one bulb with a 50 watt since the plane only moved 3 hangars away.
Click to expand...


Funny, 6 years later, this problem of tripping CBs still exists with your plane :). Been irking me ever since my first few night flights when I couldn't figure out what the problem was, being new to RVs. The heat from those halogens has cracked the whelen strobe tube on the right side twice now...time to do something about it! I ordered 2x of the 35w duckworks HIDs as a trial, and will get 2 more if they work well. Is the wiring requirement the same? I know the duckworks were designed to be drop in replacements, but can I just hook the new lights up to the existing wires?

Also, where'd you mount the strobe power packs? I got some aeroleds to replace the whelen stuff. Jon, want a rewiring/installing job?
 
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